Looking for clues to our legacy’s influence on fish habitat in New Hampshire

BY ANDREW SCHAFERMEYER

hrough the eras that have shaped New Hampshire, few have had as great an impact on the landscape — and our sense of self — as our rich logging history. While measuring and studying coldwater fish habitat in northern New Hampshire’s backcountry streams, relics of that history come to light, as I discover evidence of past and present lumbering operations. It is not presumptuous to say that every river and stream in New Hampshire has been affected by timber harvesting practices. In fact, one can reasonably assume that all rivers and streams in Coos County have, at one time, been driven – the act of floating felled downstream from the to the mill. As I step in and sometimes over these brooks, they seem unlikely candidates for such an operation. continued on next page N.H. HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHOTO

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continued from previous page But back in the day, every spring, as ice receded and snowmelt crept in, these waterways became SCOTT DECKER PHOTO roaring collages of foam, water, and men. The energy behind such a force was created by structures with names like sluice dam, flash dam or run dam. These dams were built in a variety of ways — but all served the common purpose of impeding flowing water to create a vast holding area for logs. were marked for harvest; brought down by axes, crosscut saws and eventu- ally chainsaws; and hauled by men, horse or tractor to these impoundments. When stream flow was just right and the job boss was satisfied with the harvest, these dams would be breached by men New Hampshire logger with saw, circa 1925. Trees were with iron bars, spiked boots and sometimes dyna- cut, sawed into 4-foot lengths and piled for seasoning. mite. In a climactic and often chaotic event, Previous page: Small stream driving harnessed millions of gallons of water would rush down- waterpower to transport to the . The stream, carrying a bounty of timber to Brown Company, Berlin, N.H. and processing stations as far as Massachusetts While doing stream and Connecticut. dam. Upstream, we found a choke chain as thick as surveys, fisheries By the early 1960s, trains and trucks had re- a modern skidder tire chain. Downstream we found biologists discovered placed the need for dams and river drives, yet the a pulp-hook, which, along with an axe or peavey, long iron spikes — craftsmanship of these early engineers can still be was a logger’s most important tool. relics of an old found. Two summers ago, while surveying a re- For the rest of the summer, our task of survey- dam’s cribbing. mote tributary to the Swift Diamond River, my ing the present included an exploration of the past. three-member crew found a Where we normally looked for moose antlers and rotten, moss-covered dam rising trout, we now sought out cantdogs, axes and with notched logs and 16-inch calipers. “The holy grail for me is a pair of spiked spikes still visible. Alone and boots,” claimed team member Bryan Comeau, half a mile from any road, we himself a logger since birth. Perhaps the most tried to imagine the activity storied artifact of The Riverman, a pair of boots and manpower that once oc-

ANDREW SCHAFERMEYER PHOTO with one-eighth to quarter-inch spikes on the soles cupied this quiet and almost allowed for mobility and traction while moving lonely section of river. Below around a slippery and unpredictable mass of mov- it was a deep pool filled with ing logs. As a tribute to man and lifestyle, spiked brook trout, and above it were boots were hung on a following a riverman’s tree species such as speckled death — typically a drowning — and Bryan hoped alder that would be typical in a frequently flooded to find a pair. landscape. Without speaking, my crew and I walked around Imagining the Impacts this piece of history, searching for further evi- dence of the early woodsmen who made a living Once the field season is complete, I’m back at here. We walked well into the surrounding woods my desk, with a few fishing trips and memories of and found spikes driven into stumps summer survey work to keep my mind calm through and root masses as far as 30 feet from the actual the long winter. I wonder, what effect did these old

1616 March/April 2006 •• WILDLIFEILDLIFE JJOURNALOURNAL logging operations have on fish and their habitat? time and technology, During log driving episodes, the rapid and unex- waterways are no

pected increase in flow and depth had immediate longer required as a di- ANDREW SCHAFERMEYER PHOTO impacts on fish. Add to those conditions thou- rect tool of timber sands of logs scouring the streambed, and you can harvest. Today’s strict imagine that fish — especially young and small guidelines governing ones — would face a difficult battle for survival. the use of culverts, silt- As often as I imagine what the rivermen and ation devices and road their operation looked like, I also wonder what the construction ensure that stream must have looked like in the days after the a river’s shape and drive had passed. As with any flooding event, the course will remain shape and course of log-driven streams must have largely unchanged. changed dramatically with each operating season. Winding areas of varying habitat types were straightened and channelized; critical substrate and riparian cover di- verted or destroyed; sedimentation would have been extensive. Impacts of the log- ging practices were not all negative in the DIANNE EMERSON PHOTO long term — most rivers and streams have rejuvenated to provide a suitable home for aquatic life. Left: Finding Nonetheless, practices must artifacts like this be chosen carefully to minimize impacts old saw blade on aquatic and riparian habitat now and in inspired Andrew the future. The first and most severe impact that Schafermeyer to forestry can have on a watershed is temperature- Connecting with Tradition explore the related. The removal of cover can cause I was once asked which historical figure, alive connections between both a rise in water temperature and a decrease in or dead, I’d most like to meet. Names like Jack New Hampshire’s water levels — both serious detriments to trout London, Ben Franklin and Stan Musial bounced logging history and survival. In summer months, a healthy river sys- around in my mind, but only Albert Lewis “Jigger” its fisheries. tem receives a continuous influx of cool water. Johnson emerged as my spoken response. Along When any section of river or its headwaters lose with Johnson — a legendary New England logger Above: The survey their basal area and thick forest floor, they lose and who died in 1935 — men like Dan crew checks out the their shade and ability to retain this moisture. Bosse and Jack Haley used courage and an inde- headway of a long- Instead of acting as a giant sponge that stores and scribable work ethic to carve a place for themselves forgotten sluice or distributes water, a bare landscape can’t absorb in New England logging history. Almost as unique “flash dam” on a water or nutrients from rainfall and snow melt. as the operation itself were these men and others tributary to the Swift The result can be flash floods, summer droughts like them who kept it running. From camp bosses Diamond River. and rising temperatures. to scalers, from rivermen to sled-tenders, these Another worry is a potential change in water men were most accurately described by writer quality or chemistry, one cause of which is the Norman MacLean, who proclaimed them “as tough influx of sediment caused by road building and as their axe handles.” stream crossing. Siltation has the capacity to cover The history of logging and river driving opera- substrate, making it difficult or impossible for tions is of great interest to me, and Bryan is still spawning fish to utilize. Fortunately, these prac- looking for that pair of spiked boots. As I try to tices are well-regulated, and violations that occur understand and relate logging history to fisheries do not have long lasting results. And, since science, I catch a glimpse into an abandoned gasoline and diesel-powered trucks, skidders and lifestyle. The old ways of cutting and moving chainsaws are closely regulated, they have mini- wood have changed, and modern equipment has mal impacts on water quality. made it safer and easier. Impacts on aquatic habitat The third potential logging impact — not much are better understood and well-regulated. Hope- of a concern in New Hampshire these days — is fully, the relationship between logging and rivers morphological (related to a river or stream’s struc- will remain positive and the integrity of both will ture). Their recovery from past log drives shows prosper. that rivers and streams are flexible and relatively resilient. Their ability to regain a healthy shape Andrew Schafermeyer is a fisheries biologist at Fish and flow can be amazing. With the progress of and Game’s Region 1 office in Lancaster.

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